


A Different Kind of Passion

by lucidsol



Category: Persona 5, Persona Series
Genre: Flowers, Fluff, M/M, Sappy, Slow Burn, Soft Boys, Sweet, an artist and his subject, flower shop, soft boys trying to understand their feelings for each other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-02-19
Updated: 2019-03-04
Packaged: 2019-10-31 17:07:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,869
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17853674
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lucidsol/pseuds/lucidsol
Summary: In the midst of his artist's block, Yusuke begins to see Akira in a different light.





	1. Step 1 - Find Your Subject

**Author's Note:**

> Wow this is my first time posting a fic on here, I hope you guys enjoy it!

It was all so sudden. One moment I was at Ueno art gallery and the next I was dragged to Central Square in Shibuya. It was all Yusuke’s doing. The artist had an unexpected spark of inspiration and was seeking a way to portray his sprouting idea. We’ve been spending the whole afternoon going from place to place and I still can’t get a hint on what his idea is.

“So many aesthetics, but none are doing me justice” Yusuke muttered, resting his palm on his forehead, eyes downcast. This time, we stood in the nature trail of Inokashira Park. The sweet smell of the petrichor from last night’s rain breezed through the humid air. Leaves rattling in faint wind and the and colors bringing life to the scene. The man is a visionary when it comes to art. The setting could easily be captured by Yusuke’s hand just right, but it wasn’t what Yusuke wanted. “I think I need to take a break” he announced with a sigh, packing up his supplies.

\- - - - -

The next morning I didn’t get any updates from the pondering artist. I continued on with my day, going to class and studying with Ryuji as exams are coming in two weeks. I decided to study early with him because man, that boy needs some help. Things went well, and he eventually began to grasp the information after I tried to block out things that distracted him such as Morgana and his phone. “What if we get an important Phantom Thieves update?” he attempted to argue. In response, I lifted up my own phone, explaining that I can update him if I get a notification.

After that, I decided to work a shift down at the flower shop as I needed to make some quick yen. I put on my uniform with apron and made my way to the mall, greeting the lady that runs the shop. Call me lame, but this place never fails to soothe me. Sweet aromas and vivid petals… it’s relaxing to come here after a long day. I kind of notice that working here has been making me more… kind? It’s not that I’m not a nice person, but this environment and the customers coming here wishing to gift loved ones with the perfect bouquet, the kind essence these people give off is contagious.

I whipped up a soft white and yellow bouquet for a customer wanting to brighten his kitchen up as Spring is nearing. He accepted it, very grateful and pleased. The head lady gave me my earnings, telling me that I got some good reviews. Her attention was then diverted to something behind me. “Hold up, we have one more customer. Would you mind taking care of him and closing up for me?” she asked. I nodded and she made her way out.

“Akira...” a familiar voice spoke up. Yusuke. His beaming eyes and soft smile lit up his face as his gaze lingered. “Hey” I chimed, smiling back.

“It turns out inspiration can easily come when I’m not actively seeking it” he said while observing me. “I’ve never seen you look so mellow”, he continued, stepping closer. I felt my heart begin to pick up its pace. Very gradual but very noticable. His soft touch brushed against my arm, getting a feel of my uniform. His hand then reached my cheek. “You’re the perfect subject…. The spirited leader of the Phantom Thieves seems so vulnerable in such a heartfelt place. It’s a different kind of passion compared to what we see in the Metaverse. It’s almost poetic” he rambled on.

I felt myself slowly leaning into his touch, face heating up. He then pulled away suddenly with raised eyebrows. “Forgive me.. I got carried away” he mumbled, stepping back. His eyebrows are now furrowed and his eyes avoided mine.

“Yusuke.. it’s alright, really” I assured, but the man remained flustered with his face reddening and all. Truth is, him looking at me that way... with those intense eyes... made me feel things. “I’d love to be your subject” I added. His eyes met with mine once again and he nodded slowly.

“Now, you made your way all the way to this shop so you must’ve wanted some flowers, right? Would you like me to make you a bouquet, Yusuke?” I asked. With that, Yusuke’s soft smile from the beginning of his visit has made a return.

“Yes, of course” he responded.

“How do you want it?” I added.

“Hmm, you can decide. I have a feeling you’ll pick out a satisfying theme” Yusuke said. I nodded and headed over to the shelves. I could feel his gaze on me as I searched through the flowers, trying to pick out a combination for his eyes only to appreciate. Some small, bright teal flowers, lively orange flowers, and and warm white flowers to bring it all together. I handed it the bouquet to Yusuke.

“This is... marvelous! The way the petal colors clash and bring out the green of the stems and leaves. You have such an eye, it’s no wonder you work here. I promise to take care of them” Yusuke announced. With care, his slender fingers lightly traced the delicate petals.

“I’m glad you like it” I smiled. I then explained to him that it’s time to close the shop.

“Well then, I must thank you. I’m gonna have to make sure I stop by this place sometime again” he said with his eyes beaming down at his bouquet. He the began to make his way out, glancing back for a brief moment while I pulled down the shop’s shutter-like door.

“Please do” I said as he left.

\- - - - -

On my way back to Leblanc, I felt my bag shake a little. Morgana. I almost forgot I even had him with me.

“Today was interesting” the cat spoke up, poking his head out.

“Very” I responded.

“Are you really gonna model for him?” he asked. His tail twitched a little.

“It won’t hurt. I mean, the guy was feeling down in the dumps because of his bad artist’s block. I think he needs this” I explained. Looking down, I noticed a subtle smirk growing on the cat’s face.

“He needs this? It seems like you also need it. I must say, you looked pretty intrigued by his gaze” he commented.

“Wh-... you were watching everything?”

“Duh, you dummy. Of course I was! Remember I sit up on the top shelf, I’m there every shift. I don’t snoop around in your business.. actually maybe sometimes, but that’s not my point” he retorted. If he was in the Metaverse, I could imagine him crossing his arms in defence.

“Damn you..” I muttered, picking up my pace.

“Come on, frizzy hair. I’m not judging. Just don’t be surprised if he visits the shop a lot, looking for you and asking for more flowers” Morgana said. In all honesty, I'd absolutely be happy with that.

Once I finally reached Leblanc, I noticed the door was locked. It must be late if Sojiro already went back home. I unlocked the door and slid in, checking the time. 10:47pm. I locked the door behind me and saw a note left on the counter. It had small, tidy handwriting. It read:

‘Had to close up shop. Feel free to get some coffee as long as it’s decaf. I don’t want you to wake up in a bad mood in the morning. Trust me, dealing with a grumpy teenager isn’t fun. Also don’t slack on your schoolwork, kid. ~Sojiro’

Right, today is Saturday and I have some homework due on Monday. I figure I’ll do a bit now so I’m not stressing at the last minute. Changing people’s hearts is enough of a hassle and I don’t want school to get in the way of that. I brewed myself a cup of coffee, flavored in a way which Sojiro would probably describe as a bit earthy tasting, and got to work. 

In the midst of my work, I felt my phone buzz in my pocket. I reached for it and checked my notifications. It was Yusuke. I opened his message:

‘Hey Akira, mind if I stop by Leblanc tomorrow morning? I got a big craving for coffee that needs to be satisfied, and I feel that drinking a cup in your presence would be rather enjoyable’ the message read.

‘Of course, sounds like a plan~’ I replied.

I then felt my phone buzz again. Another text from him. This time it was a picture. I check it, only to see a picture of the bouquet I made him. It was settled on a light colored wooden table as a centerpiece. Next to it, I could see a small sketchbook with a doodle of the flowers softly etched into it. Its vivid colors gave a warm, lively atmosphere to the room. I could easily tell Yusuke put extra effort in making the room’s lighting just right for this picture. I just couldn't help but smile… Cute.


	2. Step 2 - Understand Your Subject

The following morning, I sat downstairs, engaged in small talk with Sojiro. Well, I was kind of engaged in it. The thing is, my mind was mostly set on what happened yesterday. Seeing Yusuke stress over finding the perfect way to present his idea, and then suddenly feeling inspired by me. Not the ordinary me, but something he would describe as the ‘exposed to the goodness of the world’ me. It wasn’t just that though. It was his intensity about it. I’ve always knew Yusuke admired me. I mean, I admire him too. But this admiration that I felt from him yesterday evening… it was fond.

“I have no comment, though maybe Akira has one” Sojiro spoke up, catching my attention. 

“What?” I turned my head to see that he was talking to two seated customers. Probably current events or something. You know, the usual. Sojiro raised an eyebrow.

“Daydreaming, huh? I hope you’re not doing that in your classes” Sojiro mumbled. I nodded off in response. Pulling out my phone, I checked for any possible updates. Nothing. Today feels rather slow so far. “That’s your friend over there, right?” he asked. Looking over, I saw Yusuke quietly closing the entrance door behind him. I nodded at Sojiro.

“Hey Yusuke” I greeted with a wave. I pulled out a chair for him.

“Good morning, Akira” he responded, returning the wave. A brief moment of silence followed as Yusuke took a seat next to me. He then began to shuffle through his bag pulling out his sketchbook. Once he set it on the table, he flipped through the pages and carefully pulled one out. “I made this for you” he announced, passing the page to me. 

The bouquet. It was the same piece that I saw in the picture he sent me last night. Only now, it was finished. The outline looked more prominent and a light, neat layer of color was given to the piece. The color appeared to be done by colored pencil. Every detail looked fine and crisp, and each little stroke of pencil appeared to have a lot of thought put into it. 

I felt the corners of my lips rise. I really didn’t expect a bouquet that I spent just a few minutes making to inspire such art. “I love it.. thank you” I spoke up.

“Of course. I enjoyed making it” Yusuke hummed. He set his bag down on the ground, leaning it against the table, and then his attention went back to me. The moment I noticed that his grey eyes were steadily fixated on me, my chest felt heavy. 

“Give me a quick moment, I’m gonna find someplace safe to put this. I don’t want to get coffee on it” I said, getting up and taking the drawing with me... just something to excuse myself. Once I reached my room, I took a deep breath 

Hear me out: that artist is really making me feel things.

Am I catching feelings for him? I can’t be so sure. I mean, Yusuke is really attractive. Very much so. He’s beautiful. Everyone is aware of that. Ryuji himself has even said it one time. That has to be why I’m feeling this way.

I let out a sigh and set the drawing down on my shelf… I’ll probably take some time to hang it up later. I then made my way back downstairs. Sojiro and Yusuke seemed to be in mid-conversation as I walked in. 

“Alrighty, I’m back” I announced, getting ready to prepare a cup of coffee for the artist. Sojiro pulled me aside for a moment.

“Hey kid, if you really want to make coffee that’ll just knock your friend’s socks off, I recommend you use this stuff. This stuff is expensive, so I’m gonna have to trust that you use it wisely” Sojiro said, pulling me aside and handing me a container of what seemed to be high quality coffee grounds. “These creamers over here are homemade, feel free to use what you please” he added, pointing to some bottles sitting on the shelf. I nodded and thanked him.

I began to brew the coffee. Yusuke watched as I got things ready. I briefly looked him over. His eyebrows furrowed in what seemed to be concentration. He was leaning forward. His hands rested in front of his face, fingers intertwined. I flashed him a smile and he lightened up, fixing his slouch. His expression softened up a bit.

I finished up the coffee, took in a whiff, and set the cup on the counter in front of the artist. He looking it over, and took a small sip. A bigger sip followed. He then set the cup down, smiling lightly to himself. “Thank you, Akira” he mumbled, turning to me with beaming eyes.

Well there’s that heavy feeling in my chest again. It’s that look of passion Yusuke gives off. It’s bright and powerful. Immense to the point where I sometimes just have to look away.

I scratched my neck, returning the smile. “Oh it was no problem” I said, taking a sip from the cup that I made for myself. I could see why Yusuke seemed so satisfied with it. It was sweet and pleasant tasting. Very inviting, kind of like the warm sensation one gets from a hug. I made a mental note to thank Sojiro later.

The rest of Yusuke’s visit consisted of very little conversation. Yusuke was slow with his coffee, savoring every bit of it. Silence often fell between us, but thankfully it wasn’t awkward in any way. We just drank coffee and appreciated each others’ presence. In the background, we could hear Sojiro humming a quiet tune while cleaning up the kitchen along with the sound of other customers conversing. I can’t really recall when they showed up, but it must have been not too long ago.

Upon finishing his cup, Yusuke cleared his throat. “Well, I must get going now. It was nice staying here” he said. He dug through his wallet, pulled out some cash, and placed it on the table. I watched him as he grabbed his bag, pulling it over his shoulder. It was all really quick. Him saying bye, leaving, and such. It would’ve been nice if he stayed longer, but he explained that he has some work to get to. Studying and commissions, he said it was. The artist made his way to the door. While taking one last look back inside, his eyes met mine, and then he left. 

Though the shop has its usual visitors inside, it now feels empty without Yusuke here.

\- - - - -

It wasn't until the next Phantom Thieves meeting on Thursday that I saw Yusuke again. Rather odd, you'd think he'd be seeking me out, because of recent occurrences, but apparently that's not the case.

He didn't say much, only sitting to the side with a few comments here and there when being asked directly. His arms were crossed as he leaned against the wall. Eye contact was lacking from him. I know Yusuke is a rather reserved person, but he isn’t usually this… distant? I hope I didn’t do anything wrong. Who knows, perhaps I’m just overthinking things. Once the meeting came to an end, I proceeded to text him:

‘Hey, Yusuke. Are you doing alright? You seem troubled’ I typed.

‘Honestly, I’m not so sure.’ he answered.

‘Do you have any problems with our plans regarding plans in Mementos?’ I added.

‘Not at all, I’m all for the plans. Something has just been floating around in my mind and... I don’t know what to think of it. Don’t let it worry you’ he responded.

‘Ah ok. Well, if you ever wanna talk about it with someone, know that you can come to me.’ I typed, pausing for a moment. I then added ‘Oh also I’m gonna be working a shift at the flower shop this Saturday night. Just wanna let you know in case you’re interested in stopping by~’  
\- - - - -

On Saturday night, as you'd predict, I decided to work a shift at the flower shop. I’m good on money at the moment, but Yusuke is likely expecting to see me here, and I'm expecting to see him too.

The place was busy today. At one point, a lot of customers kept on coming in with one request after another. I took a deep breath, mentally telling myself not to let this stress me out. I handled it pretty well.. at least I think did.

Things finally slowed down and it wasn’t long until Yusuke showed up. The artist patiently waited as I took care of the customer before him. I gave him a wave and proceeded to pick out a bouquet. Upon finishing it, Yusuke finally approached.

“Hey Akira. I apologize for asking so suddenly... but are you still interested in modeling for me?” he asked, fingers combing his hair behind his ear. His eyes shied away from mine. 

“Of course I’m still interested. When would you like to start?” I questioned.

“Whenever you’re able and willing to do it” he said.

“So how about tonight, after this shift? I’ll ask the head lady if we can use this place after it’s closing time” I suggested.

“That sounds excellent” he responded.

As I finished things up, Yusuke sat aside. His grey eyes sparked with interest as they watched and followed me. I then let the head lady know about my whole modeling thing, and she accepted, telling me to make sure I lock the place up afterwards.

“So, how are we gonna do this?” I questioned. Yusuke already had his art pad out. Pencil in hand, ready to sketch and all.

“Just pose in a way that feels… natural to you” he suggested. I nodded, toking a look at the plants in the shop. I grabbed a large white flower, fingers carefully cradled around the stem. I pushed up my glasses and adjusted my uniform. My posture was lifted and relaxed. I held the flower up and flashed a smile at Yusuke. Eyes soft and everything.

Yusuke framed the scene with his fingers, dark eyes concentrating on every little detail. “Perfect” he smiled to himself in satisfaction. He then proceeded to sketch the scene.

Peaceful, it was. The mall felt quiet. Not empty, but it seemed so. The artist was relaxed, his full attention being set on the task at hand. His eyes were wide with wonder as he studied me. All worries that I had before were lifted in this very moment as I held my pose. 

Eventually Yusuke set his art pad down, content with his progress. “I finished the sketch” he spoke up. I let go of my pose and took a moment to stretch. For a moment, I couldn’t feel my limbs. Just how long have I been standing in that pose? Well, that doesn’t matter. I didn’t doing it mind.

“May I see?” I asked, approaching him. He nodded, turning the pad to me. 

The artist took a similar approach to how he drew the flowers. Soft outlines and shading. He captured the general atmosphere almost perfectly. Gentle and genuine. Warm and wonderful. Sweet and serene. 

“Beautiful...” I said. Honestly there wasn’t really much else I could say. Yusuke most definitely has a brilliant vision. 

“I’m glad you find it so. Beautiful is exactly what I intended it to be. You were my subject, after all” he spoke. Looking up from the drawing pad, I brought my gaze back up to Yusuke. When did we get so close to each other? A simple step or two could close the distance between us.

His dark eyes caught mine, holding contact. Ever so slightly I could feel his fleeting breath brush against my now flushed cheeks as he subtly parted his lips. I caught the smell of soft cologne and paints. I took a swallow and somehow managed to keep my cool, despite my heart speeding up. I combed his hair out of his face and held my hand underneath his chin, thumb running across his soft skin. His breath grew shaky.

“And you are my artist, after all” I responded, lifting up a smirk. Neither of us broke our gaze, eyes staring as intense as ever. 

I then backed up before I could lose myself even more in him. His fingers traced his chin where my hand once was, making up for the loss of contact. His mouth opened as if he wanted to say something, and then he quickly stopped himself.

“Care for another bouquet?” I asked. He nodded slowly. I then proceeded to make it. This one was more.. bright. Scarlet red, electric blue, and lilac. 

His contagiously soft smile made a return as his eyes studied the bouquet. “Thank you, Akira… I love it” Yusuke mumbled, accepting it in satisfaction.

“No need to thank me. I really like making you bouquets” I hummed, closing up shop. The two of us then set out together, heading to the train station. 

Yusuke offered to wait with me as I awaited my train’s arrival, knowing that his comes later. The two of us took a seat at bench. It was then that I became aware of the faint soreness in my legs from standing still for so long. I stretched them and let out a sigh.

As time passed, I decided to rest my head on the artist’s shoulder. He accepted the gesture with no complaints. Gazing down, I watched how his hands steadily held his bouquet with care. Fingers intertwined within stems and all. The thought of other people seeing us like this crossed my mind, and I disregarded it with ease. People have seen the two of us sitting together on a boat down at the park, but their comments regarding it didn’t affect us. People seeing us like this shouldn’t affect us either.

Once my train arrived, I got up, said my goodbyes to the artist, and made my way inside.

Morgana was right. It looks like these flower shop visits will be a routine, and it definitely looks like I’m going to love every bit of them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yeah this is really sappy, but you see: I'm a sappy person. Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter~


End file.
